Regions of Salamandra
]] Salamandra is divided into countries and classified into regions by their territorial borders. Imperial Nation of Roukoku Roukoku encompasses over half of the entire landmass of Salamandra, from the northernmost to the central region. Roukoku is ruled by the Empire of Inazai, each region ruled by a shogun, and each town is ruled by a feudal lord. Kakuji Region The largest region of Salamandra, and the center of majority of its activities. In the middle of the region is a vast lake, said to be the caldera of an immense volcano that formed the entire continent. A region rich in natural resources, its lands have been densely populated by the people, who, in their traditions, forbid the destruction of nature and taking it for granted. Inazai, the Great Capital City The capital of the empire, and one of the most populated cities in Salamandra. Found at the northern end of the caldera lake Bannou open to the vast fields of Arakiji, the capital city has existed for over three millennia. A city filled with rich history of war and conquest, Inazai is definitely a wonderful place of culture and tradition. Architecture of Inazai is hugely reminiscent of Japanese architecture, each impressive building erected with wooden and rock materials of the best quality with both aesthetics and practicality in mind. Sitting near the lake is the most majestic building, the Tennouji Castle, home of the respected and honorable Emperor. Inazai is the economic center of the Empire, where trading, mercantile, agriculture, and fishery are the main sources of economic prosperity. Not only does it prosper in economy, but it also is advancing the the fields of science and technology. With the Empire's alliance with the Kingdom of Sylphian, they have developed a device that allows a person to fly, which is now a prominent transportation method in the respective capitals of both territories. The people of Inazai are hospitable, but a highly elitist group. Mediocrity is very much frowned upon in the city. However, because of the people's reputable prestige, it's no wonder that many would come to Inazai to seek training in their respective fields. The entire capital is guarded by a wood and rock wall, partly opened on the lakeside harbors, with four main gates at the north, west, east, and northeast. Numerous inns are positioned near each of the four main gates, the more expensive ones are those closer to the castle. The streets are decorated with lanterns, which lit up the city in a warm orange light at night. The center of the capital sits a wide plaza, just in front of the castle walls on the southeast. North of the plaza is a street leading to a university. Southwest of the plaza is the market, west of which are nearby shops and businesses. South of the market and plaza are the lakeside harbors. The northern areas are residential buildings, each decorated with paper cloths and lanterns with unique and appealing colors and patterns. Kanemori, the Lustrous Town Kanemori is a small mining town filled with cheerful and hardworking citizens. The buildings around town are fairly small and mostly comprised of rocks, a small number of people residing in them. A land of impressive mountains and volcanoes, it is no surprise that there would be many hotspots for mining in Salamandra. Kanemori is one such town where the most valuable mined materials aren't gold nor copper, but gemstones and crystals. The most important of these crystals are the Selueite, a mesmerizing crystal that looks like a frozen flame. Named aptly from the Seluek (ancient Raudurion), Selueites have the capability to store heat inside it, useful in a number of practical applications such as cooking. However, the crystals must be handled with care, as they can burn with direct contact with the skin, although Raudurions seem to be immune to this. Kanemori prospers in the fields of appraisal and jewelcrafting. The miners are experts in determining the quality of their mined materials, and have an eye of looking for an ideal place to mine. The town does suffer a crisis of drought in the hotter days of the summer season. Due to the trading routes, fortunately, they don't seem to face troubles with food and stock shortages. However, it does have its fair share of health crisis due to the hazards of mining. Its natural water source is a spring that has never been contaminated. A single road leads to the only entrance and exit gate of the town, which is surrounded by the mountain walls. Near the entrance are two inns, one closer and one further from the gate, and a few shops selling various goods. The small central plaza can be seen from the entrance. Further into the town are the blacksmiths and jewelsmiths, and the residential areas. There are two mine entrances, the northeast and west mines, which can be accessed by hiking for a while to their respective directions. The northeast mines are shallower and easier to move around in, while the west mines are like a maze where the temperature rises as you venture deeper. Inariya, the Cornucopia of Fruits Inariya is a rather small town, if not counting the land area that it has in its protection. Although buildings are more sparse than expected of a town, most of the areas in Inariya are either protected areas or fruit plantations. The town has very strict laws on wildlife and natural resources preservation. The buildings of the town are made entirely of wood. The people have a tradition of rebuilding their homes after a few years to return the wood that they used to the soil. Some have a familial tradition of using the wood to culture mushrooms, which they eat or sell and at the same time, the decomposition of the wood is much quicker. A town hidden in the forest, but it is well-known to be the exporter of only the best quality of fruits around the continent. Enthusiasts and farmers visit the area to learn about their techniques, and visitors and tourists come to see the beautiful woodland sights. Other than their fruit production, Inariya is also an exporter of lumber. The main area of the town is bordered by a waist-height stone wall, arches in the entryway in place of gates at the northeastern and eastern borders where patrol guards are always seen on duty. The northeastern area near the gate has inns and shops, only a bit further down the street towards the center is the market, where the freshest fruits and produce are on display. South of the market is the main park, a more open meeting spot for visitors and locals alike where a small creek flows in the middle. The creek flows from a small river coming from the southern mountain. The western areas are entirely plantations of numerous fruits, while the remaining south and southwestern areas are protected forests. Deep into the forest outside the boundary of the town lies a waterfall by the mountain at the northeast, which is the origin of the river. Jinten, the Southern Mountain Passage A small village at the southern end of the Mioku Mountain Pass through the northeastern Ryugane Mountain Range to Okutsu. Although it is but a small village with a minimal population, the people are very welcoming to the travelers. Although traveling through the passage significantly cuts travel time, the Mioku Mountain Pass is still a treacherous gorge that is too dangerous for traders to cross. This is why most people who do go through the pass and enter Jinten are either adventurers or very reckless travelers. However, the people of Jinten seem to be quite competent in crossing the area. There isn't much activity in the area other than catering to the visitors' needs, but the village is self-reliant on itself, as there are plenty of natural resources and hunting areas around. There is only a single main street leading from the mountain pass to outside the village. The village is bordered by sturdy wooden fences that look decent but are whittled and damaged in some areas from monster attacks. There are only a single inn, one shop, one blacksmith, and a small produce stand, with the occasional merchant tent. The residents love tending to their bonsai plants, which are seen around the buildings. There is a roughly two-meter stone tablet at the northern end of the town with an inscribed message written in an old language, a bunch of flowers and offerings placed on its foot, possibly for those who died while passing through. Takami, the Obsidian Mining Town Another mining town is Takami, a town slightly larger than Kanemori and is the prime source of metals in Roukoku. This town is much busier with a much heavier atmosphere. Located near Mount Katagi, Takami is a place that is difficult to traverse to, as its buildings are completely integrated at the cliffs of the mountains. The town is divided into two areas: the residential and economic areas at the upper part, and the underground mining and factory district. The lower area is entirely inhabited by mining companies and families, who often argue and meddle in the affairs of the feudal lord. The two most important products of this town are Crystal Obsidian and Sekundite. These two are either used as components for glassmaking or sold as accessories. Crystal Obsidian is typically sold as decorative materials. Sekundite, on the other hand, is more apt to use in making glass bottles and vials, but has a special property that it changes color over time, thus naming it after the Spirit of Time. Other than those, Takami is also known for their metalworks and blacksmithing techniques. Due to the town's nature, many of its citizens suffer respiratory sickness, especially those of the lower area. There is also a rather high mortality rate for miners. Thankfully, the area is not prone to calamities, save for the occasional quakes. However, most of the town's goods and medicine are still heavily dependent on imports. The upper area is a large terrace of buildings, numerous stairs are found all over the place up to the topmost residence of the town's feudal lord. Most of the buildings' rooms are inside the mountain, making it difficult to look for places that one is looking for. The inns are located close to the south and southwest entrances. The shops are found at a slightly higher level, above the inns. The market is found at the western side, while the plaza is at the east. The lower area is underground, and is just one circular area of shops and mining companies' warehouses and mining families' residences, with an opening at the southern area that shows an underground river. There are numerous tunnels leading to the mining areas. Kagutsuji, the Town of Ashes A very large and festive town, Kagutsuji is always a lively place. Located in an almost desolate area, the town is surprisingly as vibrant as the capital, even more rowdy by the time night comes. Kagutsuji is known for three things: gunpowder, fireworks, and hot springs. Being close to the volcanoes, numerous hot springs are found in the area, and is a very popular tourist destination and vacation spot. The people of Kagutsuji are the best at handling gunpowder, being the providers of ammunition for the Empire, and are noted to be high quality products. The town is also infamous for holding annual fireworks festivals showing the must-see pyrotechnic skills of the craftsmen. Festivities are done bi-annually. In the middle of the year, the town holds a pyrotechnics contest, inviting people from around the world to show off their techniques while being the judges of the said event. The year-end festival is when they show their own techniques, traditionally to show their gratitude to the Spirit Efreet for a good year and for the wonders of fireworks, and gratitude for the people who keep supporting them. Numerous fire hazards and explosions occur daily, but as it is a commonly recurring event, it became part of the locals' routines. Though they treat this as nothing to be concerned about, visitors and tourists find this quite concerning. There are three entrances to the town, the gates on the north, east, and northeast. Near the gates are numerous inns and shops, always accommodating to its visitors. Further inside is a wide central plaza, which also serves as the marketplace. Isshijin, the River Village Similar to Inariya. Furuyo Rainforest. Fishing village. Fishery. Sacred river. Celebrates fish. Fish festival. Very fishy. Houses on the water. Boat houses are cool. Mitahara, the Colosseum Town Myths Talwar. Colosseum Town. High adventurer traffic. Killing is not permissible, unless the criminal has killed someone in the town (death penalty, public execution). Please don't kill, just fight. Weapons trade. Gouzen'in Annual boat racing and fish hunting traditions. Drums. Crocodiles. Crocodile hunters. Hunters in general. Very tribal. Gunri South of Azure Woods. Also has blue shrubbery. Medical village. Medicines. Healers and doctors. Herbariums. Yasumichi East of Lake Bannou. Crossroads area. Multiple cultures and traditions. Wells all around. Wishing well. Also fountain at the park. Shopping district. Fashion district. Shizutsu West of Whitewood Grove. Plains. People ride and hunt on boars. Pretty much badass people. Taikihara Region Taiyou Inventor town. Harbor welcoming people from Nymphid and Sylphian. Teruma Conservative and very traditional. Close ties to the Youno Raudurion Tribe. Origami. Paper. Ryuzato Youno Raudurion Tribe. Distinct culture. Preserved culture and traditions of the Raudurion. All citizens are pure Raudurion. Efreet is the god of life and death. Barbecue festival. There's a tradition where, if you court a Raudurion, whether male or female, you must ask the stronger one of the parents to a duel, then duel the Raudurion that you like, and you must win in both to get married. Face markings/tattooing tradition. Shiruho Divided into two: an area for Ryugane Raudurion Tribe, an area for non-Raudurions. Kinda racist. Separation is a must. Raudurions party all night. Face and body marking/tattooing tradition. Sparring is part of the daily routine. Raiton Harbor. Kinda Chinese because Undini is Chinese. Pretty cold area. Flying fish. Best seafood dishes. Okutsu Okutsuko Lake inhabited by koi fish and lotus plants. More Chinese than Japanese. Calligraphy. Moon-viewing festival. Nishiumi Region Norui Island. Kinda isolated. Distinct culture. Still deciding on this one. Aramatsu Hatsuka River. Primarily fishing. Fishing traditions. Dragon fish. Giant catfish that can eat people. Eels, too. It's either you eat the fish or the fish eat you. Piranhas are tame af. Machia Saato Lake. Hunting. Deer. Venison. Fur and clothing industry. Cloth. There's an evil deer god and a good deer god. Heguri Harbor. Nothing special much. Fishing town. Beaches are tourist attractions. Yakone Dojos and training. Harsh terrain. Only the strongest people. Sucks to be weak. Train harder. It's fun to hang around at the beach though. Kyoniji Region Ikemoto Land dragons. Dragon village. Dragons are lit af. Dragons are revered similar to how the Ainu revere bears. Bizu Mouth of the Engawa River. Tuna. Bakunawa belief. Sea serpents are scary and evil. Killer whales are evil. Dolphins are evil. Don't eat sea turtles or the serpent god of the sea will get angry. Eat fish and hunt seals instead. Giant crabs. Abe Music and theatre center. It's always lively and festive here. Daily and nightly performances. Red light district by night. Blackjack and hookers. Ryobe Crossroads town. Place to rest. Plains everywhere. People riding on horses and battle rams. Don't provoke those rams. Reach this place, and they'll provide you a free ride or a horse or carriage to anywhere as long as it's en route to wherever they go. They're nice people. Harudo Arts and music center. Mainly just visual arts. Tourist attraction because of the World Tree. Aodori A town of monster tamers. Please don't hunt monsters around here, they're all tame. Poachers are pretty frequent. Imperial Varunaya Varunaya is ruled by the Empire of Adityava. Vergel Region Narayana Capital of Varunaya. A very busy place where mercantile is the main source of income and has a high work labor source. The river is a sacred place. Cows are very important. Always pray to the gods. Annual festival of lights. Ishval A town close to Roukoku, and generally has a good relation to them. Their culture is more similar to Roukoku culture than Varunayan culture. Tobacco industry. Rice and other root crops. Kartika A town of desolation where the outcasts go when they have nowhere to go. A very poor place in a poor condition that relies on the former glory of the Aganishan culture to sustain themselves. Rumored to be overrun with thieves and bandits, though the town is entirely inhabited by thieves. Yaskaha A town that incorporated and improved the former Aganishan culture. Origins of karmic belief. Mining town. Blacksmiths. Shakmani Similar to Narayana, but only a town. Many buildings on the water. Fishing as main source of income. Ardhana Center of the arts. Very festive. Holds arts and culture festivals every year. Vineyards. Library. Koryala Region Gnaishe An isolated town at the southernmost area of Varunaya. Quiet town. Wheat. Bread. Burmana Mainly fishing and whaling. Carpentry and fishing. Vishond Crafting, leatherworking, blacksmithing. Mining and hunting. Rare plants and medicinal herbs. Akava Animal breeding. Fishing. Hunting. Foguil Mezuu Nior Region formerly Hallice, renamed when it became Varunaya territory Brahmani Poultry and dairy products. Fine cuisine. Dinaya Cloth center of Varunaya. Dyes. Ganeshaya Coffee and alcohol. Experts in beer brewing and alchemy. Balias Lumber and woodworks. Southeastern Nation of Eldotar The smallest nation of Salamandra, ruled by a council of representatives from each town. Raniag Sun Festival. Nignad Mask Festival. Saugan Tattoo Festival. Vaide Candle Festival. Kashmil Flower Festival. Haesic Eclipse Festival. Marrough Firebird Festival. Feriom Colors Festival. Vergel Sunrise Festival. Significant Locations Arakiji Rice Fields A wide open field with only the sight of the mountains of the north blocking the horizon. A fraction of the land is used as a rice plantation field. Although typically calm and serene during most days, some monsters lurk in the plains occasionally. Great Bannou Lake The central lake that is said to be the caldera of a volcano that formed the entire continent of Salamandra. It is an important source of water for two of the most populated areas of Roukoku. Shinyuudo Forest Also knows as the Sea of Leaves, it is a forest of various tree species with thin trunks where one can easily get lost. It is also known to be a place where people can get attacked and killed by monsters. Rudomi Moor Grasslands between the highlands and lowlands of the Kakuji Region. A mostly peaceful area with a history of war and bloodshed, as it was the battlefield of the wars against the ancient Raudurion. Travelers seldom encounter hateful spirits of the dead here. Seiryuu Highlands The highlands where the lava flows down during the volcano's eruption. Mostly barren due to the hot temperature, but would be teeming with life in the rainy seasons. Ruins of Seiryuu Ruins of an ancient Raudurion settlement in the land between Kanemori and Mitahara. Depictions of Efreet as a god of life and death are found in these basalt formations, with depictions of their culture that can be seen in the existing Raudurion Tribes today. It is a wonder how the ancient Raudurion carved, etched, and built these formations with the technology that was available at the time. Azure Woods, Aomori A forest of trees with its characteristic blue leaves. A beautiful scenic place which is also inhabited by monsters. Taikihara Greenwoods A long strip of coniferous trees that stretch at the northern side of the Taikihara region. It is a sacred hunting ground for the Youno and Ryugane Tribes. Suruto Pinewoods The hunting grounds of the people of Machia, a forest with an abundance of deer and bear. Legends of the people in Machia tell of a story about an evil deer god and a good deer god that reside in this forest. Okutsuko Lake A lake that is central to the traditions and culture of the Okutsu people. Deeply rooted in their Undini origins, they have adopted the main belief in the Lake Goddess. Ryugane Mountain Range The northern mountain range that stretches from south of Shiruho to the easternmost side of the region. The ancestral lands of the Ryugane Raudurion Tribe. Mount Saomi The mountain located at the south of Okutsu and part of the Ryugane Mountain Range. Youno Mountain Range The western mountain range that stretches from Mount Youno to the westernmost side of the country. The ancestral lands of the Youno Raudurion Tribe. Mount Youno Mount Youno is a dormant volcano that is central to many of Roukoku's traditions and beliefs. The Convergence Points of the element Fire. Legends tell that when Efreet is enraged, the volcano erupts. Coast of Rifuji The western coast of Nishiumi. Widely popular for its white sand beaches. Haisei Lagoon The lagoon that houses the harbor town of Heguri. A very popular tourist attraction for its white sand beaches and deep blue waters. Katakura Mountain Range The second longest mountain range in Salamandra, Katakura is an almost barren, craggy strip of mountains with a canyon at the south. Dyauspita Canyon A canyon that was eroded by a now-nonexistent river. A dangerous gorge that is now overrun by monsters. Ruins of Cataster The Ruins of Cataster is a former great kingdom of an ancient civilization said to have been able to manipulate time. According to the records found in the ruins and studies of scholars, they may have been able to form a pact with Sekundes. Great Vergel Valley A valley of wildlife that was once a battlefield of two nations during the War of Vergel. Aganisha Wastelands The former center of Aganishan culture and activity, but was left completely desolate from the famines that it faced. It is now completely populated by ghosts and monsters born out of the great tragedy. Posporo Mountain Range The longest mountain range in Salamandra, stretching from the northern end of the Nior region to the ends of the southeastern nation. Mount Blairont Mount Blairont is the mountain found west of Raniag. It houses the Stage of the Sun, one of the convergences of the element of Light. A bird of light stands on the stage when the sun rises and sets, leading the orbiting of Sol every passing day.